Food scientists have devoted much time developing methods for preparing acceptable meat-like food products, such as beef, pork, poultry, fish, and shellfish analogs, from a wide variety of plant proteins. Soy protein has been utilized as a protein source because of its relative abundance and reasonably low cost. Extrusion processes typically prepare meat analogs. Upon extrusion, the extrudate generally expands to form a fibrous material. To date, meat analogs made from high protein extrudates have had limited acceptance because they lack meat-like texture characteristics, mouth feel, and visual appeal. Rather, they are characterized as spongy and chewy, largely due to the random, twisted nature of the protein fibers that are formed.
There is a still an unmet need for a colored structured protein product that simulates the fibrous structure of animal meat and has an acceptable meat-like texture and color.